Roy Kelly

Seaham fighter Jordan Ellison will not be down and out for long after his valiant attempt at the Northern Area Championship ended in defeat.

That was the message from coach Peter Cope after Ellison was knocked out in brutal fashion by ruthless Lewis Ritson who clinched the vacant lightweight title in the seventh round of their derby confrontatation at Houghton.

Ritson had hurt Ellison early in that round with a right hook to the body and it looked a matter of time before he got through again.

The unbeaten Newcastle man duly delivered, with Ellison crumpling to the canvas, where he was counted out by referee Andrew Wright.

There were a few uncomfortable minutes as the 21-year-old required medical attention.

But, thankfully, the excellent treatment of the ringside doctors and paramedics got Ellison back on his feet.

Ritson, who behaved impeccably, was able to celebrate a magnificent victory while the Seaham boxer was able to take a deserved ovation from a big Rainton Meadows crowd who lapped up seven incredible rounds.

While Ritson, now with 12 wins under his belt, can look towards bigger nights, Ellison too has a bright future according to Cope.

The Gus Robinson Developments coach marvelled at his performance, not just at the appropriately-named ‘Christmas Cracker’ but throughout his year at the gym and he predicts more title shots.

“That was a proper Northern Area title fight and one of the best I’ve seen.” said Cope. “I was proud of Jordan.

“We know all about Lewis – he’s a really big, strong, lightweight and it was his power which won it.

“But that bout will not do Jordan any harm. Yes, he was upset he lost, but he will come back a better fighter for it, I was over the moon with him, he has such a big heart.

“He’s 21 and improving all the time – Lewis is a strong kid who is a notch higher than Northern Area level.

“He gave everything before the fight and during it, I was over the moon with him.

“Lewis put him in a few hard places, but he’ll be back.

“Jordan’s a fantastic kid and talent, with an amazing attitude.”

Ellison had begun so brightly against the Forest Hall boxer, landing with both gloves. But from the third round onwards, Ritson took control, his dominant jab forcing his rival on the retreat, backing up his left with a sporadic right.

Ellison, briefly, had the favourite in trouble in the fifth with some good head shots but an interruption for Lewis’s gumshield to be put back in seemed to ruin his flow. He started round six smartly too but Ritson was simply relentless and when he drove in a right to his rival’s body, down went Jordan.

Up by seven, he was quickly floored again though surprisingly the referee did not count it as a knockdown.

Ellison rose again and, to his credit, survived the remainder of the round. However, the writing was on the wall and Ritson’s power told after 95 seconds.